January 25, 2022 1:29 pm
“How will we survive?” In La Ventanilla, on the central coast of Peru, fishermen are in despair after the spill of thousands of barrels of oil from a refinery of the Spanish company Repsol, which has discharged the responsibility on the long wave caused by the volcanic eruption in Tonga.
“We have lost our livelihood and we do not know when all this will end”, says Miguel Angel Nuñez, who came to the gates of the La Pampilla refinery to protest together with hundreds of other fishermen and denounce the consequences on their activities of the oil spill of 15 January.
That day the islands of Tonga suffered a devastating volcanic eruption, so powerful that it caused a tsunami that reached the coasts of the United States, Japan and Chile. The National Center for Emergency Operations said that two women they drowned in a beach in northern Peru due to “rogue waves”.
A problem that will last for years
According to the leaders of the refinery, owned by Repsol, the accident occurred during the process of unloading crude oil from a tanker, complicated by the violent wave that hit the Peruvian coast that day due to the volcanic eruption in Tonga. in the Pacific, over ten thousand kilometers away.
The ship, flying the Italian flag, was carrying 985,000 barrels of crude oil. Six thousand ended up in the sea. Peruvian authorities have banned the crew from setting sail until the incident is brought to light.
“We hope Repsol recognizes the damages. The oil spill was caused by their negligence ”, accuses Miguel Angel Nuñez. Fishermen showed up at the demonstration with fishing nets and dead birds covered in oil.
“Even with the right equipment and working properly, the cleaning operation would still take at least two years”
The coast of La Ventanilla, located about thirty kilometers north of Lima, is famous for its marine biodiversity. Part of the fish is used for the preparation of the famous ceviche, a marinated fish dish typical of Peruvian gastronomy. Fishermen work on a small scale, with traditional technologies and with low capital use, collecting fish mainly from the beach or rocks. The few who own small boats only travel short distances along the coast. “This catastrophe is not a matter of a few months. It will last for years. We have no more work. What will we do? ”, Roberto Espinoza is desperate.
On January 19, the Peruvian government asked the Spanish group for compensation. According to the authorities, the oil spill hit more than 174 hectares (270 football fields) on the coast and 118 hectares at sea.
There are more than twenty polluted beaches. According to the ministry of the environment “this terrible situation endangers the flora and fauna in two protected areas”, the National Reserve of the system of islands and islets of the Gruppo dei Pescatori and the Protected Area of Ancón.
Request for volunteers
Shortly after the incident, refinery managers spoke of a “limited spill” announcing that they had placed containment barriers. “Their contingency plan failed and they let the oil spill advance. This is why there are dead birds ”, denounces Roberto Espinoza. Penguin carcasses have also been found in the area.
Wearing protective equipment, refinery employees worked all day on January 19 to recover the oil on the beach of Cavero, one of the hardest hit. Equipped with shovels and sponges, they amassed the oil in large plastic bags and drums. Under the blazing sun of the austral summer, the smell of oil is particularly strong. “It’s toxic, it burns your face,” says one worker, Pedro Guzman.
“With the right equipment and working properly, the cleaning operation would still take at least two years,” explained Peruvian environmental specialist Marino Morikawa.
On the 20th the Peruvian government announced its intention to recruit volunteers to clean up the beaches. The president has guaranteed that the operations will be led by the government to minimize the damage of the oil slick on the beaches of the coastal areas of La Ventanilla, in the provinces of Callao, Santa Rosa and Ancón, north of the capital.
The Peruvian justice has launched an investigation into environmental pollution against the refinery managers. According to the authorities, the company faces a fine of up to 34.5 million dollars. “The state will be inflexible. There will be a sanction in accordance with the company’s actions and negligence, ”said Environment Minister Rubén Ramirez.
Repsol spokesperson in Peru, Tine Van Den Wall Bake Rodríguez, denied the allegations. “We cannot determine who is responsible for this unfortunate incident,” he said.
(Translation by Andrea Sparacino)